“Still, I’m relieved that Duke Scanders granted permission more easily than I expected.”
Britia said as they walked home. Initially, they thought it would be difficult to convince the Duke since he had initially refused.
“Because of the name ‘Lockhart.'”
Kyra chuckled softly as she spoke.
“Why Lockhart?”
“Although Lockhart became an enemy to Lady Robley, he formed a very close bond with Turas. To the point of even standing as his second in a duel.”
As a result of that incident, Lockhart became isolated among the southern nobles led by Robley. However, Kyra knew that some families saw an opportunity and wanted to establish a friendly relationship with Lockhart.
Moreover, Scanders was not originally on good terms with Robley.
“…But that doesn’t mean Lockhart became an enemy to that extent.”
“Did Lockhart and Robley reconcile without me knowing?”
Kyra glanced at Britia, who couldn’t answer, and continued speaking.
“My father was weighing the scales between Robley and Turas, and in the end, he sided with Turas.”
Scanders’ territory was located northwest of the imperial capital. Although they were primarily treated as western nobles, they were also adjacent to the north and sometimes considered part of the northern nobility.
So, in a way, it was only natural for them to side with Turas, who practically ruled over the north. Kyra knew this fact and confidently revealed Britia’s identity in front of her father.
“The result was a great success, as you can see.”
“Your father didn’t grant permission simply because he believed you would obediently stay quiet, right?”
If he truly wished for his daughter to quietly stay away, he would have prevented her from associating with Harty from the beginning. But he didn’t do that.
He was someone who would let his child be as long as they didn’t rebel. It was also a way to establish the authority of the eldest son. Rutherford was the successor who would follow in his footsteps and the deputy who handled the troublesome affairs of the household.
“Father simply wanted to leave a favorable impression on someone who might become the Duchess of Turas in the future.”
Kyra was confident in her father’s thoughts.
“When Father smiles, there’s that kind of underlying intention. Trust me, as someone of the same blood.”
So Kyra warned that if he ever smiled particularly softly, they should be especially cautious.
Whether she liked it or not, if she became the Duchess of Turas, there would inevitably be occasions where she had to deal with him. It was sincere advice.
And the same applied to her as well. Britia aside, Kyra had been bothered since earlier by the fact that her father had even smiled at her.
Clearly, there was something more that she didn’t know.
* * *
The next morning, Harty Slanford arrived at the Lockhart Mansion.
“Where’s Kyra? Don’t tell me she’s not here when I know she is.”
He spoke sharply, clearly in a bad mood. However, Britia thought that he rarely appeared in a good mood unless it was an act in front of others.
And before he could cause more of a commotion, Britia tried to call Kyra as he wished. But Kyra refused to meet with him.
“Kyra asked me to deliver this.”
Instead, she handed him a small note, completely unaware of its contents. Harty deliberately snatched the note from her hand and unfolded the twice-folded paper.
There weren’t many words written on the note.
[Get lost, Harty.]
Harty turned the note over and over, as if expecting more content, but there was nothing more, no matter how much he looked.
As he already seemed on edge, when he now glared at her as if he could kill her, Britia took a step back.
“I’ve conveyed everything just as she instructed.”
She drew a line, dismissing any further outbursts. In response, he silently crumpled the paper in his hand and stood up from his seat.
“Just one thing I’ll ask. When did Kyra start drawing your portrait?”
In response to Harty’s question, Britia hesitated for a moment. After all, Kyra did end up drawing her portrait in the end. However, it wasn’t an act of kindness that initiated it, so it was difficult to answer that question.
“Did she ever show you a picture she drew herself?”
Harty raised an eyebrow suspiciously. Britia nodded, thinking that he was asking a strange question.
“She showed you…?”
Even though he was the one who asked the question, Harty widened his eyes in surprise at Britia’s nod. He looked shocked, his lips parting in silence.
Britia couldn’t understand why he was reacting like that.
‘Did he, like Duke Scandres, not know the fact that Kyra could draw?’
“She drew well. If you have the chance, take a look.”
Upon hearing that, Harty’s eyes, which had been shaken by the shock, stared directly at Britia. His dilated pupils seemed genuinely angry.
“If I have the chance, take a look?”
Although he was originally a sharp and sensitive man, Britia felt that this time it was different. His emotions were much more stirred up than when he threatened not to leave her alone because of Sig’s incident.
It was as if he saw her as a traitor.
“Why are you so angry? I just…”
“Forget it. Don’t say anything more. Every time you open your mouth, it just pisses me off.”
He got up from his seat without even taking a sip of the Taon tea that suited his taste, deliberately conforming to his preferences, and swung open the door to the reception room.
“Enjoyed the tea.”
As Harty turned abruptly, his face didn’t show any signs of having enjoyed it at all. Without explaining why he was so angry, he left Lockhart.
It was only after he left that Britia was able to understand the reason, after explaining the situation to Kyra.
“I have no intention of showing my drawings to Harty.”
Britia blinked quickly at her unexpected words.
“Never? Why?”
“If I show them, it’s obvious that he’ll judge them. Do you think I want my artwork to be evaluated by that person?”
Just the thought of it made Kyra’s face contort with disgust.
Oh my. That betrayed expression in her eyes had that meaning.
It was only then that Britia realized that Harty wasn’t angry at her, but rather felt disappointed by Kyra.
“Not many people have seen my drawings, not just Harty. It’s only you and maybe Rutherford.”
Of course, Rutherford had forcibly pushed Kyra aside and looked at her drawings, but still. So, apart from Britia herself, there was only one person who had seen Kyra’s drawings by her own will.
“Count Slanford seemed very upset.”
Feeling guilty for no reason, Britia whispered to Kyra.
It seemed that she had spoken thoughtlessly and carelessly without understanding the situation. Of course, Harty had made about ten more mistakes in addition to this incident, but that’s beside the point.
“Never mind.”
However, Kyra seemed to dismiss it as insignificant.
* * *
It was the third morning since Kyra had arrived at Lockhart Manor. It was the day when Britia was supposed to meet the Crown Prince as promised, carrying the requested item.
“Was it used for something or what? How can someone spend three days doing nothing but drawing like a crazy person?”
Crave asked, perhaps finding it unsettling that Kyra had been drawing nonstop for three days. After finishing breakfast, he stole glances at Britia beyond the newspaper.
“I have to finish the drawings, that’s why.”
Britia defended Kyra while also agreeing to some extent with his words. Every time she called Kyra to come for a meal, she wouldn’t respond and only moved her brush with vacant eyes. It was undeniably a bit unsettling.
“We only have an hour left until the appointment. I hope she’ll be fine and finish in time.”
At that moment, Kyra opened the door and entered. In her hands, she held a canvas, breathing heavily with a flushed face. As she approached with vacant eyes, emanating an eerie atmosphere, Britia and Crave were momentarily taken aback.
“Please.”
Kyra, staggering, handed the drawing to Britia. Her voice was low, locked away for a while due to not speaking.
“Well done.”
As Britia replied after receiving the drawing, Kyra collapsed right there in her place.
“Kyra!”
Britia shook her in surprise. Completely overcome by sleep, Kyra snored as if unconscious. It seemed she had exhausted herself, pouring too much energy into drawing without getting proper rest.
Crave called someone to move Kyra to her room and let out a sigh of relief. Then he glanced at the drawing Britia was holding.
“Isn’t it drawn a bit too beautifully? It’s not a portrait of you, is it?”
At that moment, Haley approached from the side.
“What are you talking about, dear? Britia is this beautiful.”
While the two of them discussed the drawing, Britia finally looked at her completed portrait and was engulfed in a strange feeling.
It wasn’t because of her facial features. There was something that hadn’t been there when she last saw it.
“One thing is for sure, she knows Tia very well.”
Crave glanced at Britia teasingly as he spoke.
“I wonder how it suits you so well. It’s as if you were born like this.”
Britia pressed her lips together and gave Crave a stern look.
She wanted to immediately ask Kyra why she had drawn it like this. However, it wouldn’t be right to wake up someone who had collapsed and fallen asleep out of exhaustion.
As the appointed time approached and Kyra still didn’t wake up, Britia had no choice but to take the painting with her.
“Britia.”
Britia, who had entered the palace earlier than the appointed time and was waiting in the reception room, turned her head abruptly at the voice calling her.
Through the open doors of the reception room, the Crown Prince with a black lion’s tail entered. As the attendants pulled out a chair, he naturally took a seat.
“It’s nice to see you again like this. Ah, you brought the item as promised.”
He noticed the canvas in Britia’s hands and smiled slyly.
“Can I see it right away then? I’ve been waiting so long, I can’t be patient anymore to see what kind of painting it is.”
Britia hesitated for a moment but soon tried to hand him the canvas. However, an attendant took it from her and passed it to the Crown Prince instead.
The Crown Prince, holding the painting in his hands, gently touched the surface of the canvas. The paint hadn’t completely dried, indicating that it hadn’t been long since it was painted.
Indeed, when he suddenly mentioned receiving a portrait, there was still no painting at that time.
Narrowing his eyes, the Crown Prince looked at the tense Britia and smiled slightly. He could overlook this much since he had expected it. Moreover, the painting was quite impressive, surpassing his expectations.
“However, looking at the painting, I have one question.”
It piqued his curiosity.
“Do you like alcohol?”
The Crown Prince asked, seeing her holding a bottle of liquor in the painting.
As expected, he knew he would ask.
Britia tightly closed her eyes.
